This invention relates to a protective neck roll and more particularly to a neck roll of cushion material which can be affixed to a conventional football helmet or other similar protective device employed by persons engaged in body contact activities.
In body contact sports such as football, lacrosse and ice hockey the protection of the player's body from injury is of primary concern but at the same time it is highly desirable to permit the player as much freedom of movement as possible. For instance, in the game of football, the contact forces between players have called for a maximum of protection for the player but the freedom of movement of the player must still be given primary consideration. Great strides have been made in protecting the football player and in particular certain areas of the body more susceptible to injury than others. Helmets with interior padding and face masks have been developed to protect the head from injury. Shoulder pads and rib pads have been employed to protect the upper portion of the body, while hip pads and leg guards have been developed to protect the lower portions of the body. However, the area of the neck has been relatively ignored due probably to the desire for freedom of head movement, a key requirement in the game of football.
Moreover, it has been recognized that successful efforts in helmet design, face guards and helmet suspensions have contributed somewhat to the alarming increase in neck injuries as a result of the transfer of forces applied to the helmet directly onto the neck. For instance, when the conventional helmet with its face guard is struck frontally with a blow, the helmet pivots rearwardly and the sharp lower edge of the rear of the helmet strikes the back of the neck producing severe injuries and on occasion fatalities. In addition, forces applied to other areas of the helmet must be borne by the neck which in reality is a relatively fragile member. For instance, a heavy blow or force applied to the top of the helmet results in a severe compressive force on the neck often resulting in disastrous injurious results.
As forces during the game of football are generally applied to the player's helmet from any and all directions, the neck is therefore subjected to a variety of stresses including compression, flexing, extension, bending, torsion and the like.
In the prior art various types of neck guards have been developed for the purpose of protecting the neck but such devices do not become an integral part of the helmet and are not completely satisfactory in protecting the neck and spine from blows applied to the head. See for example, U.S. Pats. Nos. 3,497,872, 3,189,917, 3,514,784, 3,591,863 and 3,242,500.